St. Joseph, Minn. – After a back and forth 30 minutes where it looked like neither team wanted to take control, the Saint Benedict basketball team did just that, stringing together enough good shots for a lead that visiting St. Olaf could not overcome, as the Blazers took a 66-51 win.
 
Neither team led by more than five in the first half, and both the Blazers (7-4, 4-4 MIAC) and Oles (6-5, 4-4 MIAC) suffered through early shooting woes. That was until the Blazers went on an 8-to-0 run just past the midway point of the second half, turning a one-point game into a nine-point Blazer advantage with 6:22 to go.
 
The Blazers shot just 10-of-34 (29%) in the first half and went 4-of-19 (21%) from behind the arc, and in the second it looked as if it would continue until Tish Alexander (Minneapolis) and Brianna Barrett (Annandale, Minn.) hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Blazers the momentum they had been needing all game.
 
Leading 46-45 after an Ole three-pointer, the Blazers came back down and saw Alexander knock down three of her game high 15 points. After a defensive stop, they came right back down where Barrett hit a three of her own, and just like that the Blazers were up 52-45 forcing a St. Olaf timeout. Out of the break, another defensive stop led to a Barrett bucket and the Blazers were in control.
 
Over the final six minutes the Blazers continually extended their lead, going up by double digits when Emily Lueck (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) hit a pair of free throws, eventually winning by 15, after winning by 25 on Wednesday.
 
They got their shooting stroke figured out in the second half, connecting at a 44% (11-of-25) clip while outscoring the Oles 37-26 in the period.
 
Alexander finished as the game's leading scoring, while Barrett added 13 and Lueck chipped in 10.
 
Morgan Dale (Jamestown, N.D.) continued her tear on the boards, pulling down 15 and finished just one point shy of a double-double with nine points.
 
Now winners of two straight and back to even in MIAC play, the Blazers will look to get over the .500 mark in conference action for the first time this season on Wednesday (Jan. 11). It won't be easy though, as they host the defending MIAC champion, Concordia Cobbers. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. in Claire Lynch Hall.